If you think you're in for another rigorous regimen
of dieting and exercise, think again. These resolutions — backed by
scientific research — offer delightful and sometimes surprising ways to
improve your health — from lowering your risk of heart disease, diabetes
and cancer to reducing pain and improving brain health. Source AARP
Health. Check them out
>>

1/7/2013 Making Achievable New Year's
Resolutions‏

Make your New Year's reolutions achievable. Start
with smart food choices (I really need to do more of that) and make
fitness a priority. Stay with cardio (that would be dance fitness) if
you want to maintain to avoid any substantial weight gain, but you'll
have to step up your game if you want to "trim down". And, it may
require you to pay for some "Boot Camp" or a "Personal Trainer." You
gotta know that if you spent a sizable sum of money (in fast food and
Friday/Sunday restaurant dates) that resulted in an "increased
waistline" that you'll likely spend as much or more to reduce it. But of
course, this is not anything most people don't already know. The key is
not cutting corners when it comes to health and fitness. -Kathleen Evans

1/1/2013 Top 6 Exercise Excuses and How to Beat Them

You know you should be
exercising. You also know that physically active people are healthier.
They're less likely to develop
heart disease,
diabetes, and some
cancers. They
sleep better, feel happier, and have more energy. Of course, a fit body
looks great, too. So what’s keeping you from working out? Whether it’s too
little time, not enough energy, or just hating to exercise, we have an answer
for every excuse in the book. Get ready to get motivated. Source WebMD.com. Read
more
>>

10/01/2011 - October is
Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Encouraging News about Breast Cancer - More and more breast cancer is being detected early while
the tumor is small and limited to the breast. Currently, two thirds of newly diagnosed breast cancers
show no signs that the cancer has spread beyond the breast. With prompt and appropriate treatment, the outlook for
women with breast cancer is good.

Risk Factors - Simply being a woman and getting older puts you at risk.
The older you are, the greater your risk. No woman should consider herself too old to have a
regular screening. Specific Risk Factors Include:
Female Gender, Hormonal Factors, Increasing Age, Earlier age at first period,
Genetic factors (BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes), Family History, Later age at birth of
first child, Later age at menopause, Having no children, Dietary and
environmental factors, Personal History of breast cancer or previous breast
biopsies. Having one or more risk factors does not mean you are
certain or even likely to develop breast cancer. On the other hand, not having risk factors does not mean
you are "safe". Most women who develop breast cancer do not have a strong
family history or fall into a high risk category.

Early Detection - The key to early detection is screening: looking for
cancer in women who have no symptoms of disease. The best available tools to
diagnose breast cancer include: -A Regular Screening Mammogram (or X-Ray) of the breast.
-A Clinical Breast Exam by a doctor or nurse. -Monthly Breast Self Examinations.

Warning Signs and Symptoms to Have Checked Include:-A lump or thickening under the skin. -Skin dimpling, puckering, swelling, irritation, or
distortion of the breast. -Spontaneous nipple discharge. -Any change in the size, shape, or color of skin. -Inverted nipple that is a new occurrence.

Cholesterol comes from two sources: your body and food Your liver and other
cells in your body make about 75% of blood cholesterol. The other 25% comes from
the foods you eat. LDL cholesterol is the "bad" cholesterol. When too much of it
circulates in the blood, it can clog arteries increasing the risk of heart
attack and stroke. LDL cholesterol is produced naturally by the body, but many
people inherit genes. Eating saturated fat, trans fats and dietary cholesterol
also increases how much you have.

Promising Intervention Strategies -
Cholesterol awareness requires you first of allto get your cholesterol checked.
Then it requires success in all three steps combined below. Just because a
person knows their cholesterol levels does not necessarily indicate they will
take actions to reduce their cholesterol levels. However, it is an important
step in the process of cholesterol reduction.

You may also seek medication options from your doctor to also help lower your
cholesterol. Just take the first step to make the change today!
Sources: Jennie Stuart Medical Center | www.americanheart.org |
WellnessWorks, 2011

08/01/2011 Weight Loss Benefits of Line
Dancing

Line dancing is a moderate way to burn calories
and reduce weight. In terms of calorie expenditure, about 15 minutes of
line dancing burns about 75 calories. Over 12 months, line dancing
workout uses up a total of 27,375 calories per year: the equivalent of
7.8 pounds of body weight. A line dancing workout doesn't just help you
to lose weight, it also improves blood circulation, and helps develop
leaner thighs and tighten butt muscles.

How to Lose Weight Fast by Doing Line Dancing - In
order to increase weight loss, by line dancing, it's important to follow
a nutritious eating plan, which includes a good range of minerals,
vitamins and other nutrients. Why? Because a well-nourished body
responds faster to weight loss. In addition, diet studies show that
motivation is improved when you record your weight and body measurements
on a week by week (using a regular weighing-scales) and record your
general fitness progress.

Does Line Dancing Suit You? For effective weight
reduction, fitness experts recommend that the best type of exercise plan
is the one that most suits your individual lifestyle - not necessarily
the type of exercise program that burns the most calories. Source:
Calorie Counter

07/01/2011 - Line Dancing can be
magical and transforming.

It can breathe new life into a tired soul; make a spirit soar; unleash
locked-away creativity; unite generations and cultures; inspire new
relationships or
rekindle old ones; trigger long-forgotten memories; and turn sadness into joy,
if only during the dance.

On a more physical level, line dancing can give you a great mind-body workout.
Researchers are learning that regular physical activity in general can help keep
your body, including your brain, healthy as you age.

Exercise increases the level of brain chemicals that encourage nerve cells to
grow. And line dancing that requires you to remember dance steps and sequences boosts
brain power by improving memory skills.
Source: AARP Health. Read more
>>